Korea the drama queen

Public opinion is a beast in any society. But to me, Korean political emotions seem especially confusing and twisted. What’s more, these impulsive emotions seem to move in sync across the nation, as if on cue.

It’s almost like the mental roller coaster of an unstable teenage girl.

Bribery scandals surrounding liberal former president Roh were a huge disappointment to many Koreans. They let the world know by giving conservative Lee Myun Bak a landslide election last year. Now Lee is their new target of even stronger disapproval.

That hasn’t stopped indignation from still growing about how corrupt Roh had been. But the instant Roh jumped off the cliff behind his house, he ensured his place in Korean hearts as a beloved martyr.

It makes some sort of sense, I guess. But despite Koreans’ loathing of their new president, I’m baffled by just how extreme the ongoing displays of affection for Roh have been. In my neighborhood today, someone put up enormous banners honoring Roh. Right now, I’m watching dubious photos on TV that make it look like Lee’s evil cops are desecrating Roh’s funeral flowers.

The moment Roh jumped, he stopped being the weak old man who got crooked and let his nation down. He became everyone’s sweet, innocent grandfather. And of course, Lee is the murderer.

If that’s how effective suicide is in east Asia, I now see why it’s so popular here. Like I said, unstable teenager…

Anyway, I you never got a chance to read about the incident, here’s the story I read the morning it happened.

SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea’s former President Roh Moo-hyun, hounded for weeks over his links while in office to a widening corruption scandal, appears to have jumped to his death in the mountains near his home on Saturday, a top aide said.

[Read it.]